Tuesday, July 05, 2011

Blueberry Pancakes

The last few weeks of moving, of doing, of the ups and downs and adrenaline that come with public speaking, have been exhausting. Wonderful, but exhausting. And this weekend? I crashed.

I woke up Saturday morning, sat down at my computer, and tried to do some work. But my body ached, my eyelids drooped, and little wisps of anxiety twirled around my ears. A little voice repeating itself: How am I going to get everything done? Ah, that familiar chant. Occasionally it's a comforting one. Sometimes even inspiring. It usually fades away as I dive into my work. But on Saturday, it just wouldn’t stop. I couldn’t think beyond the internal noise. I turned on the radio, hoping to drown it out. I left my computer to go on a run, looking for silence via speed. Nothing helped. So I gave up.

Matt and I drove to Brookline, where we ate roast beef sandwiches and salads with aged gouda, peanuts, and crispy shallots at Cutty’s. We went to Boston’s Museum of Fine Arts, where we wandered among the new Art of the Americas wing, and then stared at the bulbous, strange glass forms by Chihuly. My favorite moment? Standing on a staircase overlooking the museum restaurant, watching people eat. I didn’t think about deadlines once.

And Sunday morning I woke up feeling better. Like I could possibly face the to-do list of the next week. Like I might be able to get everything done. But first I made pancakes. Blueberry ones. And let me tell you: they were good.

Light and fluffy, sweet and tangy, these pancakes have the perfect amount of spring. They use milk soured with just a bit of lemon juice, baking soda and powder, melted butter and only one egg. I used fresh blueberries, but frozen would also be fine.

1 tablespoon lemon juice

2 cups milk

2 cups AP flour

2 tablespoons sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

1 egg

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled

2 teaspoons vegetable oil

1 cup blueberries (fresh or frozen)

Whisk together the lemon juice and milk in a medium sized bowl and set aside to thicken. In another medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

Whisk the egg and melted butter into the milk until combined. Make a well in the center of the bowl containing the dry ingredients, and pour the milk mixture within, whisking lightly until just combined. (A few lumps will remain; don’t over mix!)

Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Add 1 teaspoon of the oil. Pour ¼ cup of the batter onto 3 spots in the skillet, and sprinkle some blueberries over each pancake. Wait until large bubbles begin to appear on the pancake (about 2 minutes) before you flip them. Cook for 1 ½ - 2 minutes longer, until golden brown. Repeat. (You can keep the finished pancakes warm in a 250-degree oven.) Enjoy.